YouSaid · the spoken record

TSERING

lines on the record: 237
first: 1972-09-24
most recent: 1995-09-24
sittings or episodes: 13
sources: un-general-debate

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“I have the honour to convey to Ambassador Shihabi and, through him, to all members the warm greetings of His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, and his good wishes for the success of the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly. Let me take this opportunity to extend to Ambassador Shihabi the warm congratulations of my delegation on his election as President of the General Assembly at its forty-sixth session. Given his wisdom and experience, I am confident that he will guide our deliberations to a successful conclusion. I should like also to put on record our appreciation of the skilful manner in which Mr. Guido de Marco of Malta conducted the proceedings of our last session. It is with great sadness that we mark the end of our eminent Secretary-General's tenure.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The United Nations has now re-emerged as the conscience of the world. It is certainly our best hope for the future. We must do everything possible to preserve and strengthen it for the sake of global peace and security, and for the well-being of all our peoples.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“They have played an active part in all aspects of our national life and moved us closer to our objective of economic self-reliance. The 1990s is the decade of the future. What is done and left undone now will determine the quality of life in the future and perhaps even the very survival of mankind. Most propitiously, the recent past has seen great forces of reform and rethinking at work in international life. The notion that the United Nations was a theatre of debate rather than consensus, rich in rhetoric and poor in action, has been proved wrong. Even in the most compelling circumstances the United Nations has continued to be the navigating light, however dim, shining in the darkness, guiding mankind's path away from destruction. Multilateralism has provided effective answers to the many ills of our times.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Here I wish to acknowledge the useful contribution of our development partners, particularly India, Japan, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, Norway, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Federal Republic of Germany, and various specialized agencies and bodies of the United Nations, particularly the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the World Health Organization (HĦ0), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), the United Nations Department of Technical Co-operation for Development (UNDICD) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in the realization of our development goals.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The creation of an internal transport and communications network in our rugged terrain to maintain an effective national link constitutes a formidable challenge. Given our situation, external assistance will thus continua to play a major role in our modernisation process, although it is our intention to keep such assistance to the bare minimum.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“We have every confidence that the national effort, of the least developed countries, supplemented by adequate financial and technical assistance from the donors, will accelerate economic growth and improve the quality of life of the copies in the least developed countries by the end of this decade. The road to development has not been smooth and easy for the Kingdom of Bhutan. One of our main national development objectives is economic self-reliance. In its realisation we face not only all the constraints of a least developed country but also the geographical handicap of being landlocked. Our remoteness from the sea adds to the high cost of transportation of all our goods and services.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Grant, for his untiring crusade on behalf of the world's children. My delegation is happy at the outcome of the Second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held in Paris recently. Although the Programme of Action adopted for the 19908 has not fully met the expectations of the least developed countries, the international community has made a strong commitment to arrest the further deterioration in their socio-economic situation and to reactivate and accelerate growth and development in those countries and to set them firmly on the path of sustained growth. My delegation would like to take this opportunity to urge the donor community to translate its commitments in Paris into concrete action.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“We hope the 1992 Conference in Brazil will be a watershed in international collective efforts to repair the damage and redress the ecological imbalances that threaten our fragile planet. The World Summit for Children was a highly significant ,vent, for it was a reaffirmation of our obligations under the United Nations Charter "to save succeeding generations". The Summit was a solemn occasion to rediscover this truth and realign our focus on the needs of the children. It was also a recognition that human resource is both a means and an end to development. The joint commitment reflected in the Declaration provides a concrete step in ensuring the survival and well-being of children as a measure of successful development efforts. May I take this opportunity to commend the dedicated executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund, Mr.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The consensus to convene a World Conference on Environment and Development in Brazil in 1992 and the establishment of the Preparatory Committee indicate a convergence of views among Member States on the vital question of environment. The urgent need for collective action is supported by a great deal of scientific evidence on the diminishing capacity of the environment to sustain life. These environmental challenges are no longer confined to nations or regions but global in scope, threatening the very survival of humanity. Indeed it is only the strength of our resolve to transcend our narrow national interests and act in global unity and harmony that will determine the fate of future generations.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Many hold the view that the achievements in the political arena have not been matched in the field of economic co-operation. The world economy still dismays pervasive uncertainties. The wall that divides the developed and the developing countries is firmly in place. Their relations continue to be affected by severe disparities and inequities. We, however, believe that there is reason not to despair, developments over the past year have opened up new and exciting opportunities. The increasing co-operation between major Powers, the integration of Eastern European countries into the world economic system and the relatively peaceful international climate have generated a greater willingness to deal with the problems of the current world economic system.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Equally unfortunate is the massive diversion of resources by the developing countries for military expenditure at the cost of the basic needs of their peoples. The thaw in the cold war and the expected peace dividend offer the opportunity to underscore once again the relationship between disarmament and development. The time is now opportune to reduce defence expenditure and divert the financial and other productive resources to the solution of urgent global problems. We hope the international community will give meaning and substance to the concept of development through disarmament and not use the present uncertainties to restore defence expenditure. In this spirit, we reiterate our call to convene a fourth special session on disarmament.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“As the paranoia and misconceptions prevalent in the super-Power relations during the cold war have disappeared, the entire perception of their traditional security arrangements has undergone a dramatic change. They are now engaged in a highly constructive dialogue on disarmament, dispelling the threat of a nuclear holocaust. Sadly, however, while the super-Powers' dialogue has entered a productive phase, it is ironic that there should be a drive by many countries to increase their arsenals of war. Apart from the uncertainty over the extent of nuclear arms proliferation, definite evidence of the acquisition of chemical and bacteriological weapons by a large number of countries has emerged.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“My country has always supported the right of all nations in the region to live in peace within secure borders. This applies equally to the Palestinian people, who have every right to an independent homeland. In our view, the present Gulf crisis once again underscores the urgent necessity for settling the Palestine question. Unless this is done, the Middle East, with its vast oil reserves, will remain a constant threat to world peace and stability. In this regard, we call for the early convening of an international conference for the settlement of the Palestine question. The theory of containment and deterrence has lost much of its appeal and relevance.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Such a body would not only enable the United Nations to enforce its decisions but provide a mechanism for preparing and co-ordinating action. To digress slightly, I wish to express our deep appreciation and admiration for the brilliant address by Mr. Shevardnadze at the current session of the General Assembly. His perceptive and visionary remarks do credit to him and his great leader, President Gorbachev, who through their great statesmanship have done more than anyone else to usher in a new and more humane political order in the world. The saga of the Palestinian people's struggle for justice and freedom continues. For almost three years the intifadah has survived against all odds and become a symbol of the resurgence of Palestinian nationalism. The world cannot afford to ignore it, much less deny it.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“This calls for some mechanisms designed not only to settle disputes but also to anticipate and prevent conflicts. In his 1939 report on the work of the Organization, our Secretary-General said: "Efforts to prevent possible conflicts, reduce the risk of war and achieve definitive settlements of disputes, whether long-standing or new, are part and parcel of a credible strategy for peace." (A,44,1, p. 10) Those wise words merit our unconditional support. We believe the United Nations should play a central role in creating this collective security structure. In this connection, we fully support the proposal by the Foreign Minister of the USSR, Mr. Shevardnadze, to reactivate the work of the Security Council's Military Staff Committee.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“At last we have seen the Security Council emerge from the shackles of the cold war to play its role as envisaged by the founding fathers. My country has joined other peace-loving nations of the world in condemning Iraq's aggression and calling for its immediate and unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait. We do not recognize the Iraqi annexation of the State of Kuwait, We uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kuwait and its legitimate Government of His Highness Sheikh Jaber AI-Ahmad AI-Sahah, Amir of Kuwait. We call upon Iraq to abide by the Security Council resolutions and settle its differences with Kuwait by peaceful means through dialogue and negotiation. The first crisis of the post-cold-war era is a sobering shock. Must the world order so assiduously built over the years disintegrate in one misadventure?”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Unless Iraq is made to disgorge its ill-gotten gains through the economic embargo and whatever other means the United Nations considers appropriate, no small State in the world will be safe in the future. And let us not forget that the vast majority of United Nations Members are small States. The manner in which the Gulf crisis is resolved will determine how the international political order will be maintained in the post-cold-war world. In that context, it was heartening to hear the United Nations speak with one voice when confronted with that great challenge. Squally significant was the first joint crisis-management exercise by the super-Powers. That is manifest in the various Security Council resolutions that have been adopted and which we fully support.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“My delegation therefore strongly supports the admission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations as a Member. Peace and diplomacy, however, have not prevailed in the Middle East. Just as the world was beginning to trust and appreciate the emerging international order based on the rule of law, the confidence of the international community was rudely shaken by recent events in the Middle East. The blatant use of force by Iraq to settle its dispute with Kuwait is a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and the basic principles of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and is contrary to all norms of international behaviour. Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of States are the cardinal principles governing relations among nations.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“In today's international community, the Republic of Korea is the only country that remains outside the United Nations in spite of its strong desire to become a Member. The Republic of Korea has become an important member of the world community, maintaining diplomatic relations with 143 countries and enjoying full membership in most of the international organizations, including 15 specialized agencies of the United Nations. In our view, the admission of the Republic of Korea to United Nations membership should be determined strictly on the merits of the case and in accordance with the membership criteria set forth in the Charter. The question of the Republic of Korea's membership should not be subjected to extraneous considerations such as the resolution of inter-Korean issues.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The internal in-fighting resulting from the interplay of outside interests and counter-interests had relegated the concerns and sensitivities of the people of Afghanistan to the periphery and undermined the Geneva Agreements. We welcome the recent initiative of the two super-Powers to end the stalemate and we support any effort that will usher in a broad-based Government and bring about an effective and lasting solution to the problem., As the cold war draws to an end and the United Nations is set to play its central role in promoting international peace and co-operation, the time has come for the United Nations to settle the last remaining legacy of the cold war - the issue of Korea's membership in the United Nations.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“We appreciate their initiative and the efforts of the Association of South-East Asian Nations in the search for a lasting solution to the Cambodian problem. The framework defining key elements for a comprehensive political settlement agreed to by the five permanent members and subsequently endorsed by the concerned parties as the basis for settling the problem during the Jakarta Meeting gives cause for optimism. We welcome the establishment of the Supreme national Council as a prelude to restoring the country's independence and territorial integrity under a truly representative government. The situation in Afghanistan is being viewed with realism.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Its independence and accession to membership of the United Nations early this year were the logical culmination of the long-drawn-out struggle against colonialism. Even in South Africa,, a new beginning has been made. The release of Nelson Mandela has effectively set in motion the inevitable process towards freedom, equity and justice. We hope the commencement of negotiations for a new constitution embracing power-sharing will soon lead to the establishment of a united, non-racial South Africa. Until much time as apartheid is abolished and a representative government assumes office, my delegation supports the continuation of economic sanctions. The spirit of growing co-operation in international relations is evident in the fact that the five permanent members of the Security Council are joining hands to end the Cambodian tragedy.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“In a remarkably short span of time, the world has seen an irreversible trend towards reconciliation between nations that not very long ago were bitter foes. Ws must encourage that growing trend towards reconciliation to ensure enduring global peace and progress. The recent changes of historic proportion have led to an unprecedented integration of Europe. The unification of Germany, which we heartily welcome, has become a reality. We are confident that a strong and united Germany will make valuable contributions to Europe and the world. All this has opened up new opportunities for growth and development in the world. The positive fallout of the improved super-Power relations is also evident in the narrowing of differences in many regional conflicts and, in some cases, in their resolution. Namibia is one telling example.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“People all over the world have c witnessed with gratification the potential of the United Nations and the realisation of the high hopes they place in it. That renaissance of consciousness in the Organisation is in large measure due to the unrelenting efforts of the Secretary-General and his senior colleagues in the United Nations system. We are indeed living in challenging times. The rolling tide of change has reached unprecedented heights. Physical walls that divided peoples and nations have been reduced to rubble. Ideological barriers have been dismantled. Mistrust and hatred have given way to understanding and co-operation. Years of hostility between the super-Powers and their allies have ended. A truly new epoch has begun in their bilateral relations.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“I have the honour to convey to you. Sir, and through you to all representatives the warm greetings and good wishes of His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, for the success of the forty-fifth session of the General Assembly. I should like to take this opportunity to extend to you the warm congratulations of my delegation on your election to the presidency of this session of the General Assembly. Given your wisdom and experience, Ī am confident that you will guide our deliberations to successful conclusions. I should also like to put on record our appreciation for the skilful manner in which Mr. Joseph N. Garba conducted the proceedings of our last session. The comprehensive and incisive annual report of our Secretary-General deserves our highest commendation.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The assumption that the main threat to a nation's security comes from other countries has not only led to a disastrous world-wide arms race, but has diverted attention from the real causes of a State's instability and insecurity; namely, internal social, cultural, economic and political factors. In fact, the arms race by ruining the economies of developing and developed countries alike, has led to a deterioration of the international politico-strategic environment. While Bhutan attaches the highest priority to nuclear disarmament, we should like to appeal for a halt in the conventional weapons race which consumes the bulk of global military expenditure and which fuels all regional conflicts.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Yet, in spite of those handicaps, it is quite heartening to note that an increasing number of small States are playing significant roles in international affairs. All of us in the third world are committed to the creation of a new and just world order in which all States, large and small, can enhance their well-being and security and make a contribution to international peace and progress. We subscribe to the view that internal cohesion, economic self-reliance, a prudent and well-thought-out foreign policy based on geo-political considerations, and a distinctive national identity based on a nation's culture and traditional values, are important elements in ensuring the well-being and security of a small State.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Diversion of massive amounts of scarce resources to unproductive ends at the cost of the economic well-being of nations, cannot be justified in any circumstances. The greatest fear under which all the peoples of the world live today is the threat of a nuclear holocaust. We must all endeavour to rid ourselves of this spectre. The majority of States on this planet ate small, while their locations and circumstances may vary greatly, they are by their very nature weak and vulnerable. Internally, their transition to modernity is creating a whole range of disturbing imbalances. Externally, they face a sombre economic, political and strategic environment compounded by erosion in the spirit of multilateralism. Because of their limited resources, they are severely handicapped in pursuing their development goals.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The world will then become an infinitely safer place in which to live and the two leaders, through their contribution to the disarmament process, would have carved out for themselves honoured niches in the history of mankind. It is to be hoped that the wisdom that has dawned on the super-Powers will also cast its benign rays on the other nuclear Powers of the world and that they will exercise self-restraint and control in the testing and development of new nuclear weapons and in accretion to their existing stockpiles. It is also hoped that other countries that have developed the capability of producing nuclear weapons, particularly developing countries, will desist from taking the path of economic and strategic disaster.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“We are convinced that the two super-Powers, imbued with purpose and vision, have embarked on an undertaking of heroic proportions, an undertaking which seeks to ensure the very survival of the human race. We wish Secretary of State Shultz and Foreign Minister Shevardnadze every success in their talks in Moscow later this month and we hope that the summit meeting between President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev later in the fall will become a real turning point in the history of east-west relations and will herald the beginning of the process of eliminating all strategic nuclear weapons as well as other disarmament measures.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Two thousand warheads are but a small part of nuclear arsenals, but that is a big enough part for its disappearance to give the world a new vision. The agreement on these weapons is only the lesser part of what has happened. Something much more important has taken place: the Soviet Union and the United States have finally spoken together the first word in a nuclear-free vocabulary. When that word becomes deed, the world will also gain new knowledge. It will become convinced that nuclear weapons and security are not synonymous and that security becomes stronger when those weapons disappear." (A/42/PV.9, p. 2) The delegation of Bhutan fully subscribes to those lofty sentiments, which give renewed hope to humanity.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“2) The favourable wind of which the Secretary-General spoke has in no case been more dramatically demonstrated this year than in the agreement, in principle/ between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America to dismantle the intermediate nuclear forces. The significance of that agreement does not lie in the number or class of weapons it will eliminate. Its true significance has been explained by Foreign Minister Shevardnadze in the following eloquent words; "For the first time in history the idea of nuclear disarmament is close to the beginning of its fulfilment. It is not a new idea. What is new is that this turns out to be possible. Only yesterday all we could see was a blank wall; today we can see far ahead.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“A tribute is also due to our Secretary-General for the dedication with which he is carrying out his onerous responsibilities. In his annual report on the work of the Organization, the Secretary-General made the following comment on the current international situation: "Countries of disparate political orientations and economic systems have begun to deal with problems of an interdependent world with a new pragmatism in awareness of the dangers of immobility. ... It is as if the sails of the small boat in which all the people of the earth are gathered had caught again, in the midst of a perilous sea, a light but favourable wind." (A/42/1, p.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“I have the honour to convey to all representatives the warm greetings and best wishes of my august sovereign. His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, for the success of the forty-second session of the General Assembly. I should like to extend my sincere felicitations to you/ Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly. We are indeed fortunate to have a statesman of your great experience and ability to guide our deliberations. I should also like to congratulate Ambassador Joseph Reed on his appointment as the Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly Affairs. Mr. Huraayun Rasheed Choudhury, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, deserves our highest praise for the truly outstanding manner in which he conducted the proceedings of our last session and for the valuable contribution he made to the work of the Assembly.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The report, in our view, deserves our most serious consideration.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“The second summit will take place shortly and we look forward to building on the progress already made." Bhutan is wholeheartedly committed to the Uhifced Nations in the belief that a multilateral approach to the world's problems is the most effective one. Such problems as pollution or nuclear weapons or global economic malaise can only be resolved by the collective will and action of the international community. As we are all aware, the United Nations is facing today the worst financial crisis in its history. The Secretary-General has taken some initiatives to meet the immediate problems. The Group of High Level Intergovernmental Experts, which was entrusted with the task of reviewing the administrative and financial matters in the United Nation, has come up with a sound report recommending some much-needed reforms.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“While addressing the Harare summit of the Non-Aligned Movement recently. His Ma jest/ the Ring of Bhutan said: "A most positive development in our own region of South Asia has been the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation which was formally launched last December by a summit meeting in Dhaka. The summit manifested the determination of the seven South Asian leaders to work together towards finding solutions to common problems in a spirit of friendship, trust and co-operation. Our Association will promote the objectives of individual and collective self-reliance, and further the cause of peace, progress and stability in South Asia.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“I would like to mention that progress on the implementation of the Substantial New program of Action for the least developed countries has been disappointing. The assistance provided is sadly inadequate to our needs. Bhutan is committed to taking national actions as called for in that Program. We have developed specific programs on the district level, initiated a process of decentralization of our development administration, involved our people directly through such organizations as the District Development Committees, instituted major fiscal reforms, and in general demonstrated an active willingness to do our part. Further, external assistance must be forthcoming, however, before we can hope to reach even the beginnings of economic self-reliance. Bhutan is an active supporter of the concept of regional co-operation in South Asia.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“In particular, I would like to express our deep gratitude to the united Nations Development program (UNDP), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), united Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the World Health Organization (WHD), the World Food program (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the united Nations Volunteers (UNV), the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFEft), and the united Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), for their invaluable assistance. Our goal is self-reliance, and the work of these organizations has helped to put us on the road to the achievement of this end. We believe that the primary responsibility for a nation's development resides with that nation itself.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“The creative partnership implied would insure equitable economic relations, impart a new dynamism to the global economy, and bring about many social and humanitarian improvements. The various specialized agencies and affiliated bodies of the United Nations continue to play an impressive role in helping to bridge the widening gap between developed and developing nations. My own country, Bhutan, has benefited enormously from these agencies and bodies of the United Nations, which have worked closely with our Government for the socio-economic development of our country. The co-operation of these organizations has affected all aspects of our national life.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Indeed, it is often the developing countries, and especially the least developed among them, that suffer the most from fluctuations in the world economy, for they lack the means to adapt to changing conditions. The developed nations cannot flourish at the expense of the developing countries. This can only bring about further unrest, undermine social stability, and in the end adversely affect the developed countries as well. In our interdependent world, we have no choice but to co-operate, rich nations with poor, developed with developing. To end this overall global economic malaise, we urge the resumption of the North-South dialog, and the establishment of a new international economic order.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“We hope that the program of action emanating from the special session on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa convened last spring will receive the generous financial support of the international community. The problems of sub-Saharan Africa, which stem in part from colonial legacies and in part from natural disasters, present a striking example of the fundamental injustice of current international economic relations. It is clear that a more equitable world economic infrastructure would have in large measure cushioned the region from such shocks. Trade restrictions, deteriorating commodity prices, reduced and restricted capital flows, and high interest rates, combine to hurt the economies of the developing countries.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Nothing less than total disarmament can be acceptable to the international community, and as a first step we join in calling for a complete halt to the testing of new nuclear weapons systems, and a freeze in the production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons. We also call for a halt to the production and proliferation of conventional weapons and a ban on the testing, production, and proliferation of chemical weapons. One example of an area still desperately in need of assistance is that of sub-Saharan Africa. The crisis there is far from over. Though increased rainfall has alleviated the drought somewhat, mass starvation and disease still threaten millions of lives. Even beyond the immediate crisis, however, the long-term rehabilitation needs of the region must be met.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“This has created a climate of fear and instability. Indeed, while the possibility of total annihilation hangs over all, there can be no real security for anyone. The concept of Star Wars, once confined to the realm of science fiction, now threatens to become a grim reality, with the arms race being extended to outer space. Far from strengthening international peace and security, the ever-escalating arms race only serves to aggravate existing tensions. The lack of progress in the area of arms control is cause for serious concern. We urge the super-Powers to dedicate themselves to a constructive dialog; the momentum for this must be vigorously revived. While we are fully aware that the practical details of the bargaining require much arduous work, the ultimate goal must always be kept in mind - the goal of disarmament.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“We call for political settlements in these two countries based on the withdrawal of foreign troops and restoration of their independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-aligned status. The Korean question must be resolved by peaceful means through direct dialog and negotiation between south and North Korea. The deeply-rooted mutual suspicion and hostility must be replaced with mutual understanding, trust and national reconciliation in order to establish the proper conditions for a peaceful unification of the country. In this regard, we support the admission of both South and North Korea into the United Nations, as this will increase the opportunities for dialog and co-operation between them, and enhance the prospects of establishing a durable peace on the peninsula. Our greatest challenge remains the nuclear arms race.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Iran and Iraq remain deadlocked in a bitter war. Neither side has gained any advantage, both have suffered appalling losses in terms of countless human lives and destruction of property. The end result has been untold misery and death. One corollary to all this is that meaningful economic development on both sides has been virtually halted, so that the disastrous effects of this war will be felt not only by the present but also by future generations. We earnestly urge an immediate cease-fire, and call upon both sides to settle their differences by peaceful means. We support the rights of the peoples of Kampuchea and Afghanistan to determine their own destiny free from foreign interference, subversion and coercion.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“We deplore the economic blackmail practiced by South Africa against the front-line States, and call for financial assistance to these States which are now courageously attempting to free themselves from economic dependence on South Africa. The situation in the Middle East continues to demand our urgent attention. The plight of the Palestinians remains the crux of the problem. The Palestinians must be granted the right to self-determination, including the right to national self-determination in their homeland. We call upon Israel to comply with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations by withdrawing totally and unconditionally from all areas occupied since 1967. Only then will a just solution to the Middle East conflicts be possible. We support the security and right to exist in safety of all States in the area, including Israel.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“The rights of the people are trampled, their aspirations denied, their natural resources plundered, their leaders imprisoned, their young men conscripted into the South African military. We condemn the "Multi-Party Conference" and other fraudulent schemes for the continued domination of the Territory. Security Council resolution 435 (1978), containing the United Nations plan, remains the only acceptable basis for the independence of Namibia. We reaffirm our full support for the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) as the sole and authentic representative of the Namibian people. We call for comprehensive mandatory sanctions against south Africa.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“The source of the problem, as all the world knows, is apartheid and the utterly intransigent position of the racist regime in refusing to negotiate with black leaders or accept United Nations mandates. The daily atrocities perpetrated in the name of this latest so-called state of emergency, by which the Pretoria regime shows its complete contempt for international public opinion, boggle the imagination: the arrest, torture, and intimidation of thousands of opponents of apartheid, mass deportations, tight censorship of the new.. Little children are being brutally murdered every day. We denounce in the strongest possible terms South Africa's continued illegal occupation of Namibia.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Constructive action was taken on such issues as terror ism, a par the id, and drug abuse. And there was much genuine cause for celebration - the world Organization, which after all is still very young, had weathered many crises in its history, had a long list of triumphs to its credit, and was again acknowledged as man's best hope for world peace and security. The glow from that historic session still remains, but in this International Year of Peace, we cannot afford to be complacent, for we are confronted with grave dangers on several fronts. The crisis in South Africa threatens to explode in a major cataclysm in which all of southern Africa could be plunged in a vast conflagration. The urgency of this situation was forcefully highlighted in the Harare Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement recently.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)